1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an embroidery data processing device provided, for example, in a sewing machine, for processing embroidery data of a number of embroidery patterns including specified embroidery patterns such as character patterns.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has recently been provided a household embroidery machine storing data of a number of embroidery patterns such as pictures and letters. A desired one or more of the embroidery patterns are selected by a user so that the selected embroidery patterns are formed on a workpiece cloth. Embroidery data (sewing data) required for executing the above-described embroidery forming operation is stored in an internal memory such as ROM provided in the machine or an external memory medium such as an external memory card. Upon selection of a desired embroidery pattern by the user, the embroidery data corresponding to the selected embroidery pattern is read from the internal memory or external ROM card. An embroidery forming operation is executed on the basis of the read embroidery data.
The assignee of the present invention has supplied embroidery machines of the above-described type and recently, further supplied external memory cards called "embroidery cards" storing embroidery data corresponding to embroidery patterns such as various character patterns including characters in comics, animations, television programs, television games and movies, and images of robots, vehicles and logos with the consent of copyright owners. The users can enjoy embroidering character patterns at home. The term, "character," will hereinafter have the meaning as mentioned above throughout the description.
The above-mentioned embroidery data of the character patterns aims in principle at the users' enjoying embroidering at home for private purposes. No problem arises when embroideries of the character patterns formed with the above-described embroidery machine are privately used. On the other hand, making and merchandising a large number of embroideries of character patterns on the basis of the embroidery data constitutes an unfair business practice. However, the embroidering operation can be executed at a large number of times when the embroidery machine is supplied with the embroidery data (memory card). These circumstances are applied to overall devices for storing and processing the embroidery data as well as the embroidery machines.